Connecting-pole.



" w. w. THOMPSON.

CONNECTING POLE.

I APPLICATI'ON FILEDIULY 1-6. 1911.

Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

WILLIAM WALTER THOMPSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CONN ECTING-POLE.

Application filed July 16, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM W. THOMP son, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Connecting-Poles, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to extension poles for contact making purposes, the object of my invention being the provision of a device by means of which an operator may make contact with an aerial wire, the connection being continued along the pole to its lower portion where connection may be made with a suitable signaling device such as a telephone. My device contemplates the provision of merely one conductor along the pole as the telephone or other device may have its circuit grounded. It is as sumed that the aerial wire in conjunction with the ground return forms the two sides of the circuit over which signaling or other communication may be had.

My invention relates particularly to the details of construction of the extension pole itself and is designed to effect accurate contact making between the respective parts of the extension pole.

My invention further contemplates that the various parts of the extension pole may be interchangeably interlocking so that more or less sections may be used depending upon the height of the aerial wire which it is intended to reach.

My invention further contemplates provision of a pole of this character which may be readily demounted, the parts then being suitably fastened together to provide a small package when the same is to be carried.

I will explain my invention more in detail by referring to the accompanying drawing illustrating one form of my device, in which- Figure 1 shows my device completely assembled;

Fig. 2 shows the pole as demounted so as to form a package for carrying purposes;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view showing features of' construction;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 44 of Fig. 3, and

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented @ct. 252, 1918. Serial No. 180,741.

Fig. 5 is a side view of certain portions of the structure illustrated in Fig. 3.

My improved connecting pole structure contemplates the contact finger carrying section 10, the lower section 11, the section 12 provided with the flexible conductor 13 and the intermediate section 14. There may be as many intermediate sections 1 1 as are required to make the pole the necessary length to reach the aerial wire with which contact is to be made. Each of the sections is provided with means so that each interlocks with the other at the extremities. All of the sections except the section 11 are each provided with a groove 15 along one side, this groove accommodating a conductor 16. This conductoris made continuous throughout the length of the pole sections and ex tends between the flexible conductor 13 and the contact finger 17. The flexible conductor 13 is provided with a suitable clip such as the clip 18 so that contact may be readily made with any suitable instrument such as a telephone or telegraph instrument as may be required for the purposes in hand. The section 12 is likewise provided with fingers 19, 20 between which the flexible conductor 13 may be wound. All of the pole sectionsare made of wood or other suitable insulating material.

The top section 10 is provided with a metallic cap 21 which fits over the top there of. The conducting finger 17 passes entirely through the opposite sides of this cap 21 and also through the top section 10. This finger 17 is then soldered to the cap 21. The conductor 16 passing through the groove 15 extends upwardly over the top of the section 10 and then downwardly along the interior of the cap section 21 as shown at 22 so that a large and adequate contact is provided between the conductor 16 and the cap 21. At the lower extremity of the section 10 this conductor passes through a hole 23 and then runs along the exterior face of the section as shown more nearly at 24. A metallic cap 25 is fastened to the loWer extremity of this section 10 and presses tightly throughout a greater portion of its upper extremity against the conductor 16 as shown at 24. The extremity of this conductor is then bent over as shown at 26 and soldered to the exterior of the shell 25 as shown at 26. A pin 27 projects from the lower extremity of the section 10 to cooperate with a bayonet slot 28 provided in the metallic shell 29 fastened to the top of the section 1 1. The lower portion of the shell 25 may thus fit into the npperportion of the shell 29 and be held in place by the pin 27 when in engagement with the bayonet slot 28. The shell 29 projects upwardly on the shell 14L a considerable distance, a spring 30 within this shell 29 being mounted on top of the extremity of the wood portion of this section. This spring 30 cooperates with the pin 27 to hold it in the notch of the bayonet slot so that the pole may remain securely in its assembled condition. The contact continued from one section to another by means of the metallic shells and 29. In the section 14% the conductor 16 is again accommodated as shown in connection with the section 10 so that thi conductor rests along a considerable portion of the shell 29. In this manner the conductor is held against breakage by being entirely inclosed, and furthermore, adequate conducting surface is presented to the shell with which it co-acts so as to insure good contact carrying qualities. All of the sections may be united as described in connection with Fig. 3. The section 11 is provided with straps 31 and 32 so that the pole sections may be held together as shown more clearly in Fig. 2. Pins 32 hold the shells to the sections.

From what has been thus described the nature of my invention will be readily clear to those skilled in the art.

- Copies of this patent may be obtained for Having thus described means for carrying out my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A sectional connecting pole of the character described comprising a plurality of externally slotted sections, telescoping ferrules on adjacent ends of the sections, a spring pressed bayonet slot connection between the connected ferrules of each pair of sections, and a continuous conductive path through the ferrules along the sections when joined including conductors lying in the section slots and connected at their extremities to the ferrules.

2. In a sectional pole the combination with an externally slotted section, of a conductor extending along said section, and a current conducting shell at one extremity of said section, said conductor extending throughout a. considerable space between the pole and along said shell to establish contact therewith.

3. In a sectional pole the combination with an externally slotted section, of a conductor extending along said section, a current conducting shell atone extremity of said section, said conductor extending throughout a considerable space between the pole and along said shell to establish contact therewith, and the extremity of said conductor being bent over the edge of said shell and being soldered thereto.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 11th day of July, D. 1917 WILLlAM WALTER THOMPSON.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). 0. 

